


All In

by mistresscurvy



Series: Ten in Ten [7]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-28
Updated: 2013-09-28
Packaged: 2017-12-27 21:47:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/983989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistresscurvy/pseuds/mistresscurvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes big decisions are actually really quite simple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All In

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to the band signing a contract extension. 
> 
> Thank you to the email chain for letting me steal all your best thoughts and to lokte for the Brit pick ♥

For all that it was the most important decision they had ever made as a band, the vote itself was remarkably quick. 

When they signed their first contract with Syco, it wasn't even a question. It was a complete no-brainer, both because it was everything they'd ever wanted and because they could never have truly known what they were signing on for. 

Now, though, no one could claim their eyes were anything other than completely wide open. The excitement and exhaustion and completely insane adventures and total lack of privacy were their daily lives; this was them pushing all the chips in while playing a game they were pros at. Still, when Liam called for a vote and all five hands shot straight up in the air without even a cursory debate first, Louis felt he had to say something. 

"Are we sure, lads?" he asked, his hand still raised. 

"Course we're sure," Niall said. "Or at least I am. I'm in, for as long as you all are."

"Why wouldn't we be sure?" Harry asked from his seat on the sofa. 

"You're sure you're not interesting in going it alone, Haz?" Louis asked. It was like ripping a plaster off, just getting the worst of his fears out there. "You could, you know."

Harry looked like someone had stolen his boots. "When have I ever said I wanted something like that?" 

"It's a fair question for any of us," Louis retreated quickly, a bit taken aback by the fierceness of Harry's expression.

"But especially for you, Harry," Zayn added quietly. 

Harry looked away for a moment, his hands tucked up under his armpits. When he turned back to them, he looked calm, but his voice was a bit shaky. "I'm not dumb, I know I could, but—I don't want to. I think about being up on stage without any of you with me, or going through all the press alone, and." He paused, tangling his hand in his hair. "It doesn't seem like fun. It seems like work."

"We like you too, Harry," Niall said, getting an arm around Harry. The mood was a bit lighter once Harry grumbled a bit and snuggled closer, throwing his leg up over Niall's. 

"You alright with this? Even with Perrie and all?" Harry asked Zayn, his voice a bit muffled by Niall's shoulder. 

Zayn shrugged. "We both get it, so. It's not like the craziness will be unexpected." He sat back in his chair, leaning more against Liam perched on the arm of it. "It'd be one thing if I had to choose, or something. But I don't now, do I?"

"We'll make sure of that," Louis answered, looking at Liam. "Get it in writing, how much time off you'll need for the wedding and all that." It had been part of many late-night conversations he'd had with each of them: what needed to be in the new contract, _if_ they signed it. Louis would leave working out the percentages to Liam, but this stuff, the time off between albums, tours, promo, that was what actually mattered. "We'll work it out for you," Louis finished, catching Liam's eye.

He realised Liam had been really quiet so far when he asked, "Are _you_ not sure, Lou?"

"Me?" Louis said, more surprised than anything. 

"The twitter stuff's only going to get worse, if anything," Liam said, sounding determined. "There will be arseholes to ignore, always. Especially about El. And you know the Mirror's not going to stop, either."

"I know," Louis said. "I know. But if I haven't lost her because of that shit yet, I doubt I'm going to." Even as he said it he winced internally, thinking about Danielle, but Liam just nodded. "And, well. What else am I going to do?"

"Is that the only reason you'd sign again, though?" Zayn asked just as Liam said, "Anything you want, Louis."

"Of course not, why would I want to do anything else," Louis answered Zayn, startled into honesty. This was the problem with being in a band full of earnest arseholes, they forced you to actually tell the truth without even trying. "Obviously I'm in, you twats. What about you, then?" he asked Liam.

Liam smiled again. "Why would I do anything else?" he echoed. When Louis rolled his eyes, he sighed and said simply, "This is all I need."

"Fine," Louis said briskly. "But I'm not signing anything until you tell me it's to our liking."

Liam's face transformed then, his smile almost wolfish. "Don't worry, it will be."

"Shall we vote again, then?" Niall broke in. "Now that we've discussed it all together."

"I second the call to vote," Harry said, raising his hand. 

"I still don't think that's how it works," Zayn muttered under his breath as Liam sat up taller, ready. 

"All in favor of signing an extension, raise your hand," Liam said. 

Five hands shot up once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> [livejournal](http://mistresscurvy.livejournal.com/) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/mistresscurvy) | [tumblr](http://mistresscurvy.tumblr.com/)


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